The Bent Of The River:

A Well-Kept Secret

By Jeff White

SOUTH BRITAIN — It is not a long drive from the bleach-white Congregational Church here at the center of town to the Bent of the River Audubon Center, but the penetrating quiet the 554-acre sprawl offers is a stark contrast from the bustling Interstate 84, a scant four miles away.

That is just the way Manager Jim Nolan and Program Director Barbara Starr like it. With its only access point being a meandering half-mile-long dirt road, the Bent of the River remains one of the area’s best kept natural secrets. And although its relative seclusion lends it a measure of wildness, both Mr Nolan and Ms Star want to get the word out and encourage the public to take full advantage of the nature center’s many offerings.

“[If] people are into walking or taking nice hikes, that’s what we’re here for,” Mr Nolan said, with an enthusiasm that reflects a life lived in the outdoors.

The Bent of the River has a 10-mile network of trails that support not only hiking and backpacking, but cross country skiing and snowshoeing. While the center’s office adheres to normal business hours, the center’s gates remain open 24 hours every day.

The park was established in 1993 through the work of Howard and Althea Clark. The Clarks bequeathed their estate, which resides on the banks of the Pomperaug River, to the National Audubon Society, which turned it into an historic environmental preserve.

Not surprisingly, most Bent of the River regulars come for the animals. Its acres are teaming with wildlife, from black bears and bobcats to red foxes and river otters. The northern dusky salamander, gray tree frog, painted turtle and northern brown snake are among the different reptiles and amphibians that call Bent of the River home.

Because the center is a member of the National Audubon Society, it is a bastion for birds, over 150 different species of them. On any given day, visitors might be able to spot ospreys, ring-necked pheasants and red-breasted nuthatches, along with endangered species like bald eagles, sharp-shinned hawks and northern harriers.

It is a lot of work maintaining the center, admits Mr Nolan and Ms Starr. Mr Nolan, who has worked for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, has been at the Bent of the River since its inception, living in a house a few feet from the large red 19th-century barn that houses the main office. Much of the work that they do revolves around habitat management. “You can’t just leave land alone and not tend to it,” says Mr Nolan. They spend a lot of time mowing and burning grasslands and removing evasive species in order to maintain a safe ecosystem.

In addition to the labor, both Mr Nolan and Ms Starr spend a great deal of time opening up the center’s resources to the public. This might include guiding hikes across the 100 acres of open grass lands and old field habitats, making house calls for environmental enthusiasts interested in learning how to set up natural reserves in their own back yards, or fielding phone calls from bird and animal trackers interested in identifying different wildlife species.

The Bent of the River does offer different programs most weeks that are open to the public. Every other Tuesday, starting January 4 at 8:30 am, the center runs morning bird walks for early risers interested in observing the ways winged mammals begin their day.

Ms Starr will run afternoon nature walks on the 13th and 27th of January and the 10th and 24th of February, from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm. Each walk will have a different focus, and binoculars are recommended.

Mr Nolan will lead full moon nature walks on January 20 and February 19, and says that it is a good time to look for the nocturnal barred and great horned owl.

The Bent of the River will hold its traditional trail upkeep days on the 12th and 26th of January and the 9th and 23rd of February, from 1:30 pm until 3:30, when volunteers join Ms Starr in performing various trail maintenance projects.

In addition to guided walks, the center runs a distinguished naturalist lecture series during the summer months, featuring various experts in the fields of ornithology and zoology. There is also the Audubon Adventures summer program for children, when young naturalists can learn basic outdoor skills such as animal track identification and binocular use, while gaining a deeper appreciation and respect for the animals of the reserve.

All programs are free of charge. For any information on guided walks and other programs, the center recommends calling 203/264-5098.

Sitting in the center’s warm main office, Mr Nolan and Ms Starr acknowledge that Bent of the River’s success and effectiveness as a nature preserve are due in part to the cooperation of local environmental groups. The local Lillinonah chapter of the Audubon Society holds its meetings at Bent of the River, and both the Southbury Land Trust and the Pomparaug River Watershed Coalition utilize the center for various activities.

Right now, those who work at Bent of the River are looking to increase the amount of land set aside for the wildlife. According to Mr Nolan, the center has applied for a DEP Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant for a half-mile long parcel of land that (abuts) the reserve. The owner of this parcel of land, Richard Scalo, has already offered 93 acres to the National Audubon Society for $427,500, and the Bent of the River is currently exploring ways to raise the money for the land’s purchase.

 Ms Starr says that anyone interested in going a little further than just utilizing the center for its natural resources might consider giving some of his or her time to lend a hand at various projects, from office work to trail maintenance and wildlife preservation. “There is a smorgasbord of volunteer observations,” she says. “We can’t be on the trail all of the time.”